Just One Of The Boys

Loving you is...

"I don't understand..." I say and look up into Alex's eyes, "what are we."

Alex looks to me with a slight laughter behind his eyes, "why must we put labels on everything."

"What do you mean?" I look back down.

I had asked to meet Alex here an hour ago, he ended up not showing up until 10 minutes ago.
I sat in the café for almost an hour. Finally decided to figure out what Alex was thinking when it came to us.

So here we were, sitting across from each other at a small table.

"Why can't we just enjoy each other?" Alex asks trying to reach out to my hand. I quickly retract my hand from the table.

"What am I to you then?" I ask quietly meeting his eyes again.

"You're Lizzie! My Lizzie, you've always been my closest friend. We've just been having fun"

Friend. Just one word that explained it all. That's all I was to him. Just a friend who somehow thought it was okay to lead me on and continue being friends.

"I thought maybe we could stay friends...but ya know with a little extra. Why not have some fun huh?" He smirks at me

"You what? You what?" I laugh in his face. " well you thought wrong Alex." And with that I stood up and left the café. Alex didn't even move to follow me, it most likely didn't even cross his mind to do so.

I sat in the park before I pulled out my phone dialing KJ's number.

"Liz I can't talk right now, what is it? Is it important."

"It's...it's nothing. What's wrong where are you?" I ask pushing away my own troubles.

"Its.. My father...he's trying to get custody of Sam."

"Kaden..." I let out a gasp of worry. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, I'm handling it. That bastard will not get to take Sam away from our family." KJ says sternly.

We say our goodbyes and I find myself calling Willow.

"Could you come pick me up?" I ask her through the phone.

"Yes of course where are you? What happened?"

"I'm at the Linal's Park. It's Alex." I let out.
"I'll be right there Liz." Willow assured me before hanging up.

Not much later Willow walked up to me, sitting down.

"I met him at the café, I wanted to figure out where we were going...what we were." I start. "and he wanted to stay friends..."

"Well maybe that's for the best?" Willow asks gently.

"But he wanted to stay friends with...extra."

"Oh"

I simply nodded weakly, upset at myself for thinking it was something more. Or maybe it was simply expecting something more.

"Oh stop that." Willow says interrupting my thoughts.
"Stop what?" I ask looking to her in confusion.

"I can see it in your face, your blaming yourself for this. There is no point in putting that on yourself. He's just a stupid boy. That's all." Willow insists grabbing my hand.

"Now come on! This is not worth dragging down your day! Let's go, come on." She smiles as we make our way to her car.

****

"Liz?" I hear KJ's voice.

"In here!" I shout back from the living room of James' house.
Willow had invited me over to relax and hang out and had ended up telling KJ where we were as well. Of course it didn't take him long before coming over.

"Lizzie." He smiles before pulling me in for a hug with a smile.
I smile back at him once we break apart and his eyes land on mine, immediately realizing the red rims of my eyes from crying a few hours ago.

He led me out of the room before looking at me with concern filled eyes, " what is it?"

" how do you do that? How do you always know something is wrong?" I ask with a sigh.

" I know you. " he smiles before his hand slowly reaches up to my cheek. "now what is it? What happened?"

"It's...Alex." I let out, " but it's fine, it's over now."

"What did he do to make you cry..."

"It's nothing. It's stupid. I was stupid to think...to think we had something when he just wanted to be friends with more."

His hand slips from my cheek and his fingers curl into tight knots.

"He wanted to just...to use you?" KJ says slowly.

"KJ...it's fine, please just calm down." I try. His features seemed crumbled and I could see his anger escalating. He was never good with his temper, he would get so protective.

"Kaden." I reach out to touch his cheek. He looks up slowly.
"Please, it's okay." I drop my hand to his hand.

"He's always been an ass when it came to girls, but with you it was different. It seemed like he cared it really did. Shit. I'm so sorry Liz. I should have warned you."

I simply shake my head, "No, it's okay. Kaden, it's okay."

KJ shakes his head before letting out a sigh and leaning foreword and kissing my forehead.
"I'll never let anyone hurt you again."

"That is an impossible task KJ. I will be hurt again, but that is life." I smile up at him.

"I'll try my best then." He smiles down at me before taking my hand and leading me back into the living room with James and Willow.

We all sat down, settling on watching some movies before ordering takeout and enjoying a calm night in.

"Do you want to go home Liz?" KJ asks late at night after James and Willow had fallen asleep.

"No, it's okay. I'll stay, James won't mind." I shake my head tiredly. KJ simply smiled and and nodded, "then I'll stay too. Go to sleep Liz, you need your rest."

And with that I fell asleep next to KJ. Content and safe. Not worrying about the daytime troubles.